Yoni Epstein Returns as President of the Global Services Association of Jamaica
Founding President returns to lead the BPO/ICT sector through its next phase of growth and AI adoption.
At its Annual General Meeting on July 7, 2026, the Board of the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ) appointed Yoni Epstein, CD, to once again serve as President — a decade after his original four-year tenure as the association's founding President. As Jamaica's BPO industry enters a new era of rapid technology adoption, Epstein will work to raise awareness of the ICT and GSS sectors, strengthen public-private partnership, and help prepare the country for the future of higher-skilled services and artificial intelligence (AI).
Originally founded as the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica, the GSAJ is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the operating and regulatory environment for GSS/ICT businesses. Its members work together to advance the interests of the sector and partner closely with organizations, such as JAMPRO to strengthen the industry's global competitiveness.
During his previous tenure as President, Epstein spearheaded key initiatives, including a business incubator for BPO companies developed with a US$500,000 Compete Caribbean grant, that helped fuel the ICT-GSS sector's exponential growth over the past 14 years. “When we launched the Association in 2012, the Jamaican BPO/ICT sector employed 11,500 workers across roughly 26 BPO/ICT companies and was valued at US$200 million,” said Epstein. “Today, the industry employs 40,000 people and generates US$900 Million in foreign exchange, ranking among Jamaica’s top three industries for employment and revenue growth. That growth is due in large part to the tremendous work of the GSAJ, its partners, and now more than 100 member firms.”
Epstein takes over from Wayne Sinclair, who has served as President since July 2024. He is optimistic about the road ahead and believes business process outsourcing remains very much alive. “Much like when I started in this role over a decade ago, the industry is at an exciting inflection point,” he said. “As a local operator who is financially and physically invested in the success of the industry, and the country, I believe technological advances will help us grow, not contract. But it will look different than what we’re used to, and I’m committed to helping shape this new world and keeping the sector an economic engine for the next 30 years.”
Many industry workers across the country remain uncertain, and even fearful, about how AI will affect jobs and livelihoods, and some critics have voiced concerns about potential job losses. Like other business leaders embracing the opportunities technology brings, Epstein remains firm in his belief that AI will enhance jobs rather than eliminate them. GSAJ Vice President Gloria Henry shares that view. “Public and private stakeholders need to work together to educate the sector’s employees and help shift perspectives. This is a tech-savvy generation with AI already at their fingertips,” she said. “Using it in the workplace is a natural progression, and the GSS/ICT sector is already providing the access and training to make that possible.”
Yoni Epstein, CD, is the founder and CEO of itel, Jamaica's largest homegrown customer experience provider. The company began with seven employees in Montego Bay and has since grown to more than 3,000 employees across five sites in four countries. In 2023, he was conferred Commander of the Order of Distinction by Jamaica's Governor General in recognition of his contribution to the country's business process outsourcing sector.
